


A Lemurs Worth

by Three_Kings_Cake



Category: Maniac (TV 2018)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:41:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22704130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Three_Kings_Cake/pseuds/Three_Kings_Cake
Summary: An alternative universe in 1980's. This story is loosely based off the plot of the lemur episode. Same characters, although a lot is changed, including much of the story line.
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Owen is a psychologist, and I switched his age from 33 to 42. I tried to keep the news and cultural events as historically accurate as possible.

**CHAPTER ONE**

Owen Landsberg was slouched on the living room sofa. Just a few feet away was his wife Annie, who was searching through the weeks newspapers.

"Lets see... whats the date today?" She whispered to herself, although Owen still heard her. "Friday, June 12th." "Ah, ok" she mumbled, pulling out the correct paper from the pile. "What's happening round the world?" he asked, cracking open a beer. "Regan is in Berlin today, going to give some speech in front of the Wall." "Anything else?" Annie flipped through the pages, searching the head lines until she came to the international section. "Margret Thatcher won re-election last night." "She's the one from the UK, right?" "Yeah." 

"Who are we playing with?" Annie inquired, glancing up from the paper. "Milwaukee Brewers" Owen replied, his left hand combing through his long brown mullet. "Not going to start for another hour, so I'm just watching re-runs of Golden Girls for now." 

There was an awkward pause

"So how was work?" Owen asked, sitting up right and turning to her. Annie got on the sofa and folded the paper in her lap. "I've been helping folks get their affairs in order. You know, going through their stuff and writing down what shit goes to who."

"Just out of curiosity" he said "what's the weirdest thing you've seen them give away? You've been at his for over a decade, I'm sure you have some crazy stories." Annie threw her head back with a laugh"This happened just a few days ago, but a lemur."

"Excuse me?". Owen reached down to the wooden coffee table and grabbed the remote, turning down the volume. "Did you say lemur? Like, the animal lemur?" Annie nodded with wide eyes which read 'yeah, can't believe it either.' "Are you serious? A lemur?" "I don't know. One day I show up at her place and Pattie has a lemur in a cage under her bed. When I asked about it, she said the animal was for her daughter. But she doesn't want just anyone giving it to her, she wants me specifically to deliver the lemur when she dies." "Why doesn't she- this Pattie woman, just have someone pick it up? Why you?" Annie shrugged. "No idea."

"What about you? You're a psychologist, so I'm sure you have even crazier stories." Owen took a sip of his beer and nodded his head. "Oh yeah. There's this young guy, let's call him Peter. He's off at New York State University, bright guy, studying economics. Full future ahead of him." "And?" "And he completely broke down last week. Started throwing shit around the library, yelling at his girl friend who he thought was an FBI agent." "My goodness, so young" she whispered sorrowfully. "I finally diagnosed him today with schizophrenia." Most people might have had to look up what the word meant, but years of being married to a psychologist had given Annie an encyclopedia full of knowledge about mental health. "Wouldn't work with me either, as he thinks I'm also some FBI agent or whatever." "How tragic" Annie signed. 

Before he could continue, the phone rang. "I'll get that" he said, standing up. Annie turned her attention back to the paper. 

"Hello?" Silence. "What is the problem?" More silence. "Look" he said, his voice booming down the hall. "I don't want any fucking part of this bullshit, ya hear? If they want to interview me, fine. But I'm not getting tangled into this mess. Bye." Own slammed the phone back on the hook. 

"Who was it?" "My father. Jed has gotten his ass into trouble. Again." "Oh god, what now? Is it wire fraud again?" "Worse. A woman claims he attacked her in the companies wear house a few days ago." Do you think he did it?" Annie asked, her voice lowering and fragile. "Look, I just learned of this five seconds ago, so no idea. But I certainly think its possible. He's always been a sleaze ball. Dad started asking about an alibi and I shut him down. I'm not lying for Jed, not this time." 


	2. Argument in the library

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Owen tries to read up about Lemurs at the local library, but is distracted by a trio arguing in Japanese

Saturday, June 13th, 1987 

"599.21...599.22...here. 599.23" Own whispered to himself in the busy library as he pulled out the book.

 **"THE ANIMALS OF MADAGASCAR"** On the cover was a frog jumping in mid air. 

He headed on down the rows of shelves before finding an empty table, something that was rare on a Saturday when students dominated the building. Scanning the pages, he eventually came to the Lemur section. Yet he could hardly read more than a page before an argument broke out across from him. At the next table to his left, three people sat close together, shouting in loud whispers. 

Although he couldn't fully understand what they were saying, he knew it was Japanese and could catch parts of their sentences. Own had taken it as language credit back in high school, and actually got pretty far. In fact, he took a few classes in college. By the end of his freshman year at the University of Delaware, he could carry on basic conversations. Initially he was hesitant, wanting to take Spanish instead, but his father insisted. Back in the early 60's after World War 2, Japan's economy started modernize and become stable. Owen's father saw Japan's booming economic future well before many of his competitors, and thus would need a translator. Yet Japanese can take a long time to learn, and besides, Owen didn't have the dedication for such a job. Instead, his father eventually hired someone who was fluent in both languages. 

It had been nearly fifteen years since he last spoke the language, but he could still remember certain words. In harsh whispers, he caught the word 'medicine' several times, but that was all he could gather. Moments later, one of the men stormed out of the library in anger. The man and woman left at the table glanced over at each other before turning their attention to thick textbooks laid out on the table. 

Yet Owen couldn't seem to go back reading his book as curiosity got the best of him. Standing up, he pushed in the old wooden chair and walked over to their table. "Is everything ok?" he asked, staring down at them. The young woman with coke bottle glasses glanced up at him. In a shockingly blatant response, she said "Yeah. That guy, Muramoto, he's causing problems with our experiment. Too busy getting high to actually help, isn't that right James?" Not looking up from his notebook, he nodded. "Well, I'll let you guys work then." "Ok" the woman replied, and turned back to her book. 


End file.
